Welcome to the club! The Kinesis Movement Arts Book Club is a way to explore inspiring and educational developments in the field of movement. Deepen your understanding of how the human body moves, learns, heals and responds to the world spinning underneath it each month in our online forum moderated by Carolyn Watson, M.S.
November/December 2011 Selection: My Stroke of Insight, by Jill Bolte Tayor, Ph.D
About the book:
On the morning of December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist, experienced a massive stroke when a blood vessel exploded in the left side of her brain. A neuroanatomist by profession, she observed her own mind completely deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life, all within the space of four brief hours. As the damaged left side of her brain–the rational, grounded, detail- and time-oriented side–swung in and out of function, Taylor alternated between two distinct and opposite realties: the euphoric nirvana of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace; and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized Jill was having a stroke, and enabled her to seek help before she was lost completely.
In My Stroke of Insight, Taylor shares her unique perspective on the brain and its capacity for recovery, and the sense of omniscient understanding she gained from this unusual and inspiring voyage out of the abyss of a wounded brain. It would take eight years for Taylor to heal completely. Because of her knowledge of how the brain works, her respect for the cells composing her human form, and most of all an amazing mother, Taylor completely repaired her mind and recalibrated her understanding of the world according to the insights gained from her right brain that morning of December 10th.
Today Taylor is convinced that the stroke was the best thing that could have happened to her. It has taught her that the feeling of nirvana is never more than a mere thought away. By stepping to the right of our left brains, we can all uncover the feelings of well-being and peace that are so often sidelined by our own brain chatter. A fascinating journey into the mechanics of the human mind, My Stroke of Insight is both a valuable recovery guide for anyone touched by a brain injury, and an emotionally stirring testimony that deep internal peace truly is accessible to anyone, at any time.
Carolyn’s Plug:
Besides being an inspiring story, this book explores how the brain controls our basic abilities to move, function, think and feel. It illustrates how plastic and resilient the brain is, and also how important the manner in which we treat and assist those with brain injuries is to their ultimate recovery. It also shows what potential lies within our mind, and what we can learn (even without a life-threatening wake-up call) when we are inspired to be persistent. Finally, it underscores the importance of rest, and how sleep contributes directly to our ability to learn and improve all aspects of our function. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did!
Discussion Questions will Be Posted by November 30th.
Where to Get this Book
We recommend: Village Books, Bellingham, WA
Or, purchase from amazon.com. This book is available as an e-book.